In our latest spotlight interview, we spoke to  Olly Freedman, UK Consultant, Proptivity. Olly shares their journey so far, why indoor mobile connectivity is becoming essential for landlords and developers and insight into their upcoming projects. “What we’re doing isn’t just about connectivity, it’s about enabling future use cases. 5G Standalone allows ultra-low latency and network slicing, which will unlock everything from real-time BMS optimisation and security systems to digital twins and command & control platforms. Our infrastructure is designed to support those applications at scale. We’re already seeing interest from occupiers who want dedicated 5G zones for their operations. And for landlords, it’s about futureproofing: making sure their buildings remain competitive and relevant over the next 5 to 10 years.”

Q1. Can you tell us a bit more about what inspired the founding of Proptivity and how has your journey been so far?

Proptivity was founded to solve a real and growing problem in commercial real estate: the complete mismatch between what modern buildings need in terms of mobile connectivity and what legacy solutions were providing, if anything at all.

Traditional DAS systems and repeaters just aren’t keeping up with the demands of 5G, smart systems or tenant expectations. What inspired Proptivity was the chance to build something better from the ground up, something that worked for landlords, tenants and mobile operators alike.

The journey so far has been fast-paced and genuinely exciting. In the UK, we are soon to go live with two buildings (10 Norton Folgate in the City and The Dacre in Westminster) which will be the first of many and these will arguably have the best indoor mobile connectivity in the UK.

Q2. How does Proptivity’s 5G-ready, neutral host model differ from traditional in-building connectivity solutions?

The difference is night and day.

Most legacy systems are single-operator or rely on patchwork technologies that can’t scale or cope with high-performance demands. Proptivity is built around a multi-operator, neutral-host model, meaning we bring all major UK operators (Vodafone, Virgin Media O2, EE/BT) onto a single shared fibre infrastructure inside the building. The infrastructure is 5G-ready from day one and fully supports 5G Standalone. We own and operate the system end-to-end, meaning there’s one point of accountability and far less friction for landlords. It’s cost-effective, scalable, and crucially compliant with spectrum and security regulations, which is non-negotiable in this space.

Q3. Why is indoor mobile connectivity becoming such a critical factor for landlords and developers?

Mainly because the workplace has changed and so have tenant expectations. You’ve got mobile-first businesses, hybrid teams and a growing dependence on apps and cloud-based systems. If people can’t get signal at their desk or in the lift lobby, it reflects badly on the building and ultimately the landlord. On top of that, energy-efficient façades and more ESG focused construction materials are making it harder for outdoor signals to penetrate indoors.  That’s why we’re seeing demand surge, especially in new builds, redevelopments, and mission-critical assets like police HQs, life sciences labs and high-end offices.

Q4. How is Proptivity preparing buildings for the rise of 5G, IoT and smart building applications?

What we’re doing isn’t just about connectivity, it’s about enabling future use cases. 5G Standalone allows ultra-low latency and network slicing, which will unlock everything from real-time BMS optimisation and security systems to digital twins and command & control platforms. Our infrastructure is designed to support those applications at scale.

We’re already seeing interest from occupiers who want dedicated 5G zones for their operations. And for landlords, it’s about futureproofing: making sure their buildings remain competitive and relevant over the next 5 to 10 years.

Q5. Looking ahead, what’s next for Proptivity? Are there any upcoming projects or deployments you’re particularly excited about?

Absolutely. We’re in active discussions and deployments across multiple major London assets, and several landmark science & tech projects across the Golden Triangle.

One that stands out is the redevelopment of a major retail unit into a cutting-edge life sciences hub. That kind of building, with dense R&D functions and energy-efficient design, is exactly where our tech shines. We’re also engaging with an important entity in the City of London on compliance-driven indoor mobile for their new HQ, which speaks to the regulatory strength of our solution. It’s a very exciting time.